The Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr Abubakar Fikpo, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to provide Nigeria’s youths with employment, reduce poverty and improve their living condition.
Fikpo said this on Wednesday at the flag off of Basic Business Training for 44,000 selected youths from Kano state in the federal government Special Public Works programme for 1000 beneficiaries each in the 774 local government councils in the country.
Represented by Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim, NDE’s Deputy Director, Small Scale Enterprises, the D-G said part of the commitment was the employment of 1,000 youths in each of the 774 local government areas in the country.
Fikpo said that in Kano State alone, 44,000 youths were selected to benefit from the scheme.
The NDE boss explained that each of the 44,000 youth was given N60,000 as training allowances for three months.
According to him, the trainees will also be provided support to start the business that will enable them become self-reliant and employers of labour.
He further explained that the training would assist participants including those who were already in the business to improve their capacities and employ others.
“So many people will be taken off the streets and become employers of labour, irrespective of background and status, ” Fikpo said.
Chairman of the Selection Committee, Prof. Muhammad Dauda, said that the selection of beneficiaries was on merit.
“We have selected individuals that are deserving, including those engaged in small scale businesses, both males and females, without consideration of educational status.
“The training will assist to make them self reliant, thereby, reducing their poverty and become employers of labour ,” Dauda said.
He urged the beneficiaries to pay attention to the training so as to achieve its set objectives.
Dauda commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the programme that would make the youths self reliant and reduce the level of poverty among them. (NAN)
